Brixton Jamm is one of those live-music venues that captures everything great about a south-London night out. Its packed programme spans live gigs, DJ nights, raves, jam sessions, community events and late-night parties, plus more unexpected plans like comedy-meets-wine-tasting shows and themed quizzes. But beyond all that, this independent Brixton venue has a rather impressive claim to fame: it hosted Adele’s very first gig—and a few other now-household names have followed in her footsteps.
Brixton Jamm: an independent south-London venue with serious credentials
Across her career, Adele has sold out some of London’s biggest stages, from the Royal Albert Hall all the way to Wembley. But according to Brixton Jamm, one of her earliest London appearances was much closer to home: at the independent south-London venue. The details of that first gig have been largely lost to time, though its place in Adele’s story has helped make the venue a local music landmark.
Adele is far from the only celebrated artist connected to the Jamm. Skepta, Florence + the Machine and Rag’n’Bone Man are among the names to have performed there. Yet the venue is about much more than spotting future household names: its real character comes from its place in UK underground music and club culture, with artists such as The Ragga Twins, Grooverider and Channel One Soundsystem reflecting its roots in jungle, drum & bass, reggae and sound-system culture.
What’s on at Brixton Jamm?
Brixton Jamm’s upcoming events across August look a bit like this: there’s the All Blacks vs Springboks test-match screening (22 August), the Tamil-underground-meets-global-sounds party Prito Sounds Vol. 7 (30 August) and an Official London Carnival Lineup event with PULSE x POSH x EITC that night. The weekend rounds off with BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Jeremiah Asiamah hosting a Carnival party (31 August), with two rooms of soca, dancehall and sound-system music.
If you’re after something more low-key, you can also head to the Jamm for themed quiz nights, casual drinks in the courtyard, or a weekend brunch with a DJ soundtrack.
For something a little different, An Idiot’s Guide to Wine brings a comedy-show energy to the wine-tasting format. Led by a stand-up comedian, the 75-minute experience pairs plenty of laughs with six hand-picked wines, plus a few genuinely useful tips on tasting and food pairings—without a trace of the usual wine-snobbery. The adults-only show lands at Brixton Jamm on September 4 and October 2, with tickets from £46.
